In the western world, obesity is among the major medical issues. Anyone with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher is considered obese. BMI refers to the weight of the body in kilogram divided by the body’s height2 in meters. When an individual habitually consumes more calories than the amount being burnt off, the body will retain the extra calories and store them as fat eventually. This is how obesity develops.

The Effects of Obesity

Obesity comes with numerous and potentially harmful effects. Sadly, a lot of people willfully plunge into obesity by living careless lifestyle. Typically, more than 95 percent body mass index for someone’s age and height is an obese condition.

The effects of obesity include the following:

Medical or Health Risks

The greatest effect of obese condition is medical or health issues that come with it. Topmost among such health issues are cardiac diseases of different types, coronary disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and atherosclerosis. These risks in return increase the incidence of heart attacks and stroke. Also, obese people are prone to diabetes – another serious medical condition.

Again, since the human body is designed to only carry moderate weight, obese people are likely to have challenges with joint and bone strength. Other health issues connected to obesity include osteoporosis and arthritis. There are yet other medical issues linked to obesity and they include some kinds of cancer, particularly prostate, breast and colon cancer. Energy levels also get low as a result of overweight, which in turn can result in extreme fatigue during the day.

In addition to medical issues, there are also emotional issues associated with overweight, particularly as a result of segregation from others. Consequently, obese people tend to have poor self-image of themselves, which may in return result to depression.

Seeing all these effects from obesity, everyone should endeavor to lead a lifestyle that would keep obesity at bay.